Youth advised to invest in education, create own jobs

Deputy Eastern Cape legislature speaker Mlibo Qoboshiyane, has urged the youth to invest in education and skills development programmes to help tackle the alarming rate of unemployment in the country.

He was speaking at the Imbokodo Youth Workshop Expo held at the Motherwell Community Hall on Thursday afternoon.

The workshop, hosted by Youth Network Africa, aimed to empower unemployed youth and provide opportunities to the disadvantaged communities in the Eastern Cape.

Qoboshiyane said the youth should take charge of their lives and seek opportunities to develop their own businesses. “The roots of education are bitter but the fruits are sweet, in everything you do, never be the statistic of wrongdoing in your grave,” Qoboshiyane said.

He encouraged the youth to have a vision for the future and credibility so that they could be trusted with people’s businesses. “The office of the Eastern Cape provincial legislature will work closely with youth development organisations to make sure the cause never fades away,” he added.

Youth Network national ambassador Thanduxolo Doda, 31, said it partnered with other youth development NGOs to provide opportunities where there were no resources.

He said so far the organisation was training about 300 youth from disadvantaged communities in IT skills and other programmes.

“Our aim is to provide change in communities and also revive hope to those in need,” Doda said.

Phozisa Hlathuka, 25, from Motherwell NU 29 said the programmes had been helpful to her.

“I was sitting at home and doing nothing, but now I have something to do.”

She said the IT classes she attended could be of great benefit. “The programme can make a huge difference in my life.

“Once I have completed the course I shall be able to secure employment and in that way provide for my family,” Hlathuka said.